1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to message transmission, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for transmitting a handwriting animation message.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of various technologies such as wired or wireless communication techniques, multimedia techniques, manufacturing techniques for hardware such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and a memory, and power charging techniques, an increased emphasis has been placed on functions of mobile terminals. For example, a mobile terminal conventionally transmits necessary data to a communication partner through voice communication. However, after transmission and reception of a text message become possible, desired data can be transmitted to the partner by using a Short Message Service (SMS) including simple text data in a situation where voice communication is not allowed or simple data needs to be transmitted.
The SMS has evolved into a Long Message Service (LMS) for long text data and a Multimedia Message Service (MMS) for multimedia files such as still or moving images, through which users can be provided with various benefits. In particular, the MMS that transmits a multimedia file, unlike the SMS or the LMS, which merely transmit text data, has been in increasing demand from users due to extensibility in expression. The following describes a method for transmitting desired data by using the MMS.
FIG. 1 illustrates a mobile terminal that executes a message service using a conventional MMS.
Referring to FIG. 1, a user may create an MMS message by inputting desired characters or attaching a desired image. An MMS input scheme shown in FIG. 1 is configured such that the user inputs a character using a keypad 105, but in a mobile terminal supporting a touch screen, the user may input the character directly onto the screen by using a finger or an input means such as a stylus pen. By using a file attachment box 103 provided below a character input window 101, the user may retrieve an image stored in a memory and attach the retrieved image. Next, a description will be made of a system for executing a message service by using the above-described mobile terminal.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a system for transmitting and receiving a message by using a conventional MMS.
Referring to FIG. 2, when a transmitting mobile terminal 201 transmits an MMS service to a receiving mobile terminal 207, the transmitted MMS message is delivered to a transmitting server 203 which then transmits the MMS message to a receiving server 205 including a receiving mobile terminal 207. The receiving server 205 having received the MMS message transmits the MMS message to the receiving mobile terminal 207. In this manner, in transmission of an MMS message generated by a user of a particular mobile terminal over a mobile communication network, if the mobile communication network for transmitting the MMS message permits transmission of a file such as animation expression format information or a flash file and a receiving mobile terminal is capable of reproducing a file such as animation expression format information or a flash file, the receiving mobile terminal normally receives the MMS message. However, a conventional mobile terminal that does not support an animation reproduction method may fail to properly receive the MMS message.
As such, the mobile terminal can transmit and receive various forms of multimedia contents by using the MMS, but the MMS message may not be properly received by mobile terminals having low specifications. To this end, there is a need for a technique for converting multimedia contents suitably for low specifications of mobile terminals for transmission.